1. Technical Field
Aspects of the invention relate to an output data creating device that creates output data to be used by an image forming device (e.g., a printer, a display and the like) and an output data creating program which controls a computer or the like to create such output data.
2. Description of Related Art
Conventionally, when the output data to be used by image formation devices such as a printer, a display and the like is created, it is general that a color conversion of input data representing an image to be formed is performed using a color conversion table. For example, when print data for a color printer, the color conversion of the image data is executed using, for example, the ICC color profile, and then based on the color-converted data, the print data is created. In an inkjet printer, based on the print data, C (Cyan), M (Magenta), Y (Yellow) and K (Black) inks are ejected to form respective color components. By overlaying these color components, a color image is formed (printed) on the recording medium.
In a conventional print data creating device, a plurality of color conversion tables have been prepared corresponding to print conditions such as resolutions, total ink amount restricting value and a type of the recording medium (material and color), environmental conditions such as the temperature and humidity, and a combination of the printing conditions and environmental conditions (which will be referred to as output conditions, hereinafter). Then, depending on the output condition set by the user, a corresponding to color conversion table is used so that the optimum color conversion can be applied to the image data.
Optionally, there is known a compensation table corresponding to the printing condition (e.g., the type of ink, the type of the recording sheet, etc.) of the color image is used to compensate for the color conversion table. An example of such a technique is disclosed in Japanese Patent Provisional Publication No. P2001-128018A (hereinafter, referred to as '018 publication). According to this publication, the print data corresponding to the printing condition can be obtained quickly. Therefore, a color image can be printed quickly at high quality. Such a configuration is advantageous since data storage capacity can be reduced in comparison with a case where the color conversion tables are prepared corresponding to all the printing conditions.
According to the conventional art described above, a plurality of color conversion tables should be prepared corresponding to all the output conditions. Accordingly, the more the conditions are, the more the color conversion tables should be prepared. Therefore, in practice, when the image data is color-converted, if the output condition set by the user is within a predetermined range, the color conversion table corresponding to the condition closest to the output condition is used. Therefore, if the color conversion table corresponding to the output condition set by the user does not exist, the optimum color-conversion corresponding to the output conditions cannot be performed. Thus, it is very difficult to create the print data accurately reflecting the output condition.
Further, according to the '018 publication, it is necessary to create a plurality of compensation tables corresponding to the printing conditions in advance. Therefore, if the number the print condition is relatively large, it is troublesome to prepare such compensation tables. Further, when the number of the print conditions is relatively large, the number of compensation tables is also relatively large, and therefore, it is impossible to reduce the storage capacity. Further, if there is no compensation table corresponding to the printing condition, similar to the conventional technique, it is impossible to execute the optimum color conversion corresponding to the printing conditions.